On Butterflying: David Wolfgram of Eco-Hardwoods

Wood "butterflies", or "bowties" as they are often called, are used to mend and stabiles joints in the wood.

Today, David Wolfgram of Eco-Hardwoods redefines "butterflying" and shares his natural journey into woodworking and creating with reclaimed materials. Read more below:

I saw butterflying in a museum in Hawaii on a wooden bowl that had broken. It was mended with the "butterflies" and could hold water with out leaking. I was so impressed. I use "butterflies" to hold natural cracks in big slabs of wood together. This keeps the crack from spreading and adds a nice artistic touch to a piece.

I only use reclaimed and recycled wood and trees in my creations. "What does that mean?" you may ask. Well, "reclaimed" are trees that have been cut down and are headed for the landfill or wood chipper. I then mill the trees into big planks of lumber and sticker stack them to dry. "Recycled" is wood that had a life as something else; let's say a table for example. I take the worn out table and cut it up, discarding the defects into a bin that will heat my shop in the winter. I then plane down the wood so it looks fresh and clean. All the saw dust from my shop is saved from going to the landfill and sent to my compost. Where it then becomes food and mulch in my gardens, which in return becomes food for my family. There is zero waste once the reclaimed and recycled wood and trees are in my stewardship. We as a society are less likely to be so wasteful if we slow down and take the time to feel and show gratitude for what we do have in life.

I'm always looking for ways to improve and better my creations and my impact on this earth. I must say that I feel truly grateful and inspired by the way I get to provide for my family.

David's creativity is fueled naturally. His complete appreciation and use for materials is truly inspirational. If you would like to read more about David, check out this visually stunning glimpse into one of his days. Troy Paff's photo essay is both an interesting and welcoming read. If you don't have time to visit now, file it away for a pretty morning. It's a beautiful way to start the day!

About Redefine: Our new column Redefine asks artists to define one term involved in their process. Through this definition, we as buyers will learn a little bit more about the art from conception to realization. We'd like to not only increase awareness of what we are actually purchasing, but also increase appreciation for the process itself, thereby celebrating the handmade lifestyle.